Bishop Pates Highlights Collaboration, Vital Work of the Church in Addresses To African, Latin American Bishops

August 13, 2013

Praises witness of Pope Francis
for the poorNotes influence of Aparecida
document, 'Pacem in Terris'Cites common concerns including
violence, the environment

WASHINGTON—The bishops of the
United States, Africa and Latin America stand in solidarity with each other and
should continue to collaborate on the issues facing their people and the whole
Church, said the chairman of the International Justice and Peace Committee of
the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in two international addresses in July.
Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, spoke at the opening of the
Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), July 8, in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo and at the general coordinating meeting of
the Conferencia Episcopal Lationamerica
(CELAM), July 29, in Rio de Janeiro.

Speaking against the backdrop of
World Youth Day, Bishop Pates thanked the Latin American bishops for the "gift"
of Pope Francis, saying, "His message about the poor, humility, social justice, mercy and profound
personal encounter with Jesus Christ our Savior resonates powerfully in the
United States." Bishop Pates acknowledged the role of CELAM in helping to formulate
the pope's message, especially through their 2007 Aparecida document on evangelization.

Bishop
Pates also expressed the desire of the U.S. bishops to continue collaborating
with their Latin American counterparts on issues of common concern. "The
problems of drugs, mining and extractives, arms, the environment and
immigration are common to all our nations," he said. "Let us seek possible
answers with you for the good of our people and our Church."

Speaking
in Africa, Bishop Pates noted the rapid growth in size and influence of the
Church in Africa and highlighted how, especially where civil governance is
weak, the Church is a trusted and organized force for good. "You have spoken
out against the problems and injustices created by the exploitation of oil in Africa,"
he said. "Some of you have set up national level electoral monitoring
networks to bring to light fraud and abuse that have tainted national
elections. You have issued moral statements against corruption, fraud and abuse
committed by local governments. Other national conferences have brought ethnic
and religious communities in conflict together to rebuild the social fabric of
society and create the foundations of sustainable peace."

Bishop
Pates said he was proud of the collaboration between USCCB's International
Justice and Peace Committee and the African bishops. "Together we have
worked with the United States Government to increase development and
humanitarian assistance," he said. "We have encouraged the government in
Washington to adopt policies that would promote justice and peace. Lastly
through the Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa we are working to support
the pastoral efforts of the Church."

Bishop
Pates noted that 2013 is the 50th anniversary of the encyclical letter "Pacem
in Terris" by Blessed John XXIII, which he called "the foundational document
for all of us dedicated to peace building." In both addresses, Bishop Pates praised
the impact priests from Latin America and Africa are having in dioceses in the
United States and voiced his gratitude to their bishops.

SECAM's
16th plenary was held July 8-15, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The meeting's theme was "The Church in Africa in service of reconciliation,
justice and peace." Among the attendees there were seven cardinals, including
Cardinal Christian Tumi of Cameroon, who gave the opening address, Cardinal
Laurent Monsengwo of the Congo, and SECAM president Cardinal Polycarp Pengo of
Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Also in attendance were 125 bishops and secretaries
general of national and regional Catholic bishops' conferences from Africa and
Madagascar.

The
CELAM meeting was July 29-August 1. It included representatives of 20 different
national bishops' conferences, as well as Cardinal Marc Ouellet, president
of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and prefect of the Congregation
for Bishops, Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith, and Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga of
Honduras.

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